The invention is a system and method (collectively the “system”) for the automated management of content on a network interface.
Businesses, government entities, non-profit organizations, social groups, religious organizations, universities, research institutions, individuals, and other entities (collectively “entities”) increasingly rely on network interfaces such as web sites on the World Wide Web, Internet sites, intranet sites, extranet sites, and other network interfaces (collectively “web sites”) to communicate and interact with customers, potential customers, vendors, potential vendors, investors, potential investors, employees, potential employees, the general public, and other types of audiences (collectively “users”).
Despite the increasing importance of web sites, many web sites are out of date and as such, display inaccurate and potentially misleading information. The challenge of keeping a web site up to date can be a difficult goal for even large entities with substantial resources. For smaller entities, keeping a web site up to date that is fully loaded with information and functionality is typically not a realistic option. Smaller entities with correspondingly fewer resources and personnel, find it difficult to effectively manage the content on their web sites due to a limited number of personnel skilled in the technologies of website creation. Many organizations ultimately refrain from providing content-rich web sites because of the maintenance challenges, and the embarrassment of outdated information. Thus, time-sensitive information is not displayed, the overall utility of the web site is reduced. It would be desirable if the content in web sites could be created, modified, and deleted in an automated manner. It would also be desirable for a web site management system to allow non-technical content providers control the content of web sites without the intervention of more technical personnel.
Even in large entities, the personnel responsible for managing web sites from an information technology perspective are often not the persons best situated to manage the content of the web site. In the context of web sites that are “rich” in content, there may be several different persons or even groups of people, responsible for the management of content. Thus, even the routine management of web site content can require multiple interactions and communications between various persons filling various roles with the entity sponsoring the web site. For each extra person involved in the management process, the number of communication links can increase exponentially. It would be desirable to save time and resources while at the same time reducing the possibility for errors by reducing the number of people needed to manage web site content. It would also be desirable for a web site management system to support the allocation of content responsibilities decided by the entity sponsoring the web site.
Website management is further challenged by the desirability to maintain consistency of style, format, color, and other aesthetics. Such consistency can be difficult to obtain when many different people are involved in a highly manual process. It would be desirable for a web site management system to provide various templates to facilitate the uniform formatting of content.
There is no reason to believe that the existing art provides any solutions to the problems discussed above. There is no suggestion or motivation in the art to provide non-technical personnel with the ability to control the information technology used to manage web sites. Moreover, the existing art affirmatively teaches away from such an approach. Developments in web site technology focus on creating advanced features requiring an increasingly sophisticated level of expertise. Developments in the art do not suggest the ability to provide customizable and automated features in a simpler and less-technical way that can be performed by fewer people.